Non-indigenous

Definition

Of a species or population: occurring outside its native geographic range as a result of human-mediated transport or introduction, whether deliberate or accidental. Contrasts with indigenous (native) species that arrived through natural dispersal without human assistance. In entomology and arachnology, non-indigenous species are frequently intercepted at ports, establish in greenhouses or urban heat islands, or become invasive in agricultural or natural ecosystems.

Etymology

From Latin non- (not) + indigena (native, literally 'born in a place').

Example

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is a non-indigenous pest in North America and Europe, having been accidentally introduced from East Asia via shipping containers in the late 1990s.

Synonyms

• non-native
• Alien
• Exotic
• introduced
• Adventive

Related Terms

• Indigenous
• native range
• naturalized
• Invasive species
• neobiota
• biological invasion
• cryptogenic

Usage Notes

Often used interchangeably with 'non-native' and 'alien' in policy and scientific literature, though 'non-indigenous' carries slightly stronger connotations of human causation. Distinguish from 'naturalized,' which refers to established non-indigenous populations that reproduce sustainably without continued human intervention. Not all non-indigenous species become invasive; many remain localized or fail to establish. In some regulatory contexts (e.g., U.S. Executive Order 13112), 'non-indigenous' is the formal term of art.